Fumbling Toward Normalcy
by seatergirl71
Summary: This is a sequel to Numbing the Pain. Please read that story first. SUMMARY: Casey continues to struggle with her mother's death.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey folks. OK, so here's the sequel to my story **_**Numbing the Pain**_**. If you haven't** **read that yet, please do so before embarking on this tale. **

**I will, however, give you a little refresher course: Nora died suddenly, leaving the family in a tailspin. Casey had trouble dealing and turned to alcohol and sex to numb her pain. She embarked on a passionate fling with George, who was also having trouble dealing with Nora's death. Derek uncovered the affair and was heartbroken because he's in love with Casey. After being attacked, Casey was hospitalized, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia and anemia, and also discovered she was pregnant. However, due to her lifestyle, the baby didn't make it. While there, her family gets her to agree to go to rehab to get her life back on track. This story picks up where that left off, with Casey getting ready to embark on the road to recovery. The ages of the characters are: George: Mid 40s; Derek and Casey: 22; Edwin: 19; Lizzie: 18; Marti: 14.**

**As always, thank you in advance for reading (and hopefully reviewing!) Your feedback is love.**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to the show, characters or actors.

**Rating:** M. For language and sexual situations. I'm serious about this, people!

**Fumbling Toward Normalcy**

**Chapter One**

Casey was antsy. Today she was being released from the hospital and moving into a rehab center. That she needed it, she had no doubt, she just didn't know if she _wanted_ it. Her pneumonia was gone, and her anemia was under control. The hacking cough that had plagued her for months was no more. Physically, her body was pretty much back to normal, it was her _insides_ that were screwed up. She gazed at herself in the mirror of the bathroom in her hospital room. The color was back in her cheeks and she had gained back some of the weight that she had lost. Her hair was not as stringy, and the bags under her eyes were almost gone. Casey leaned closer to the mirror, staring at herself as if trying to see into her own head. She felt the unrest there; she knew that she wasn't _really_ OK.

Derek had been a constant companion to her in her days at the hospital, coming everyday when he wasn't working, and spending long hours keeping her company, even when she didn't want it. He had graduated from college, moved back home from Toronto and found a job. She knew he was only trying to help, and a part of her appreciated that. The other part just wanted to be left alone to wallow in her sorrows. She talked to her father a few times a week, and spoke with Lizzie everyday. George and the "kids" (Marti and Edwin) would visit almost everyday, but as far as friends, those visits were few and far between. Casey realized that the people she had been hanging out with so much the past year were not her friends at all. In fact, the only one who had come to visit her had been her boss at the pub, Jake, and he had caught hell with his wife for that.

Casey exited the bathroom and packed what meager belongings she had into the plastic bag provided to her by the hospital. After she finished, she sighed, sitting on the bed and looking at the clock on the wall. Derek was due any minute to pick her up and bring her home so she could get a proper suitcase and pack her things for an extended stay at the rehab center. Whistling from the hallway tipped her off to Derek's arrival and she rose from the bed, grabbing the bag. She knew it was him because he always whistled while walking in the hallway to her room. Only when he arrived though, never when he left. _Weird_, she thought before shaking her head.

Derek poked his head around the door and knocked on the jamb. "Knock, knock. I hear there's a hot chick that's being released today. Have you seen her?" he asked, a loopy smile on his face.

Casey snorted and walked toward him. "Nope, haven't seen her. Although my neighbor next door is leaving today. She's 80, but still a looker," she quipped, passing him to go out the door.

"Eighty, huh?" Derek said, rubbing his chin as if considering it. "Well, I like older women, but I'm going to have to pass. My heart belongs to someone else," he said, throwing his arm around Casey as they walked down the hall to the nurse's station.

Casey smiled, but said nothing. Since Derek's confession of his feelings for her, he was openly admiring and affectionate, at least when they were alone. He still wasn't ready to admit to everyone that he was in love with his step-sister. George had guessed, of course, but Derek had never _admitted_ it to him. Casey, on the other hand, was still leery and distant. This didn't seem to bother Derek, so she didn't feel the need to change. She was trying to figure her own self out, and frankly, she wasn't ready to set up house with Derek any time soon.

After checking out, Derek drove Casey home, where the whole family was waiting for her – George, Edwin, Lizzie, Marti – even her dad was there, which really surprised her. "Dad! What are you doing here?" she asked, throwing her arms around him.

Dennis laughed and spun her around. "Do you think I would miss my daughter's release from the hospital?" he said, putting her down. His eyes drank her in. "Oh Case, you look so much better!"

Casey didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted. "Uh, thanks," she muttered before moving on to Lizzie and throwing her arms around her. "Liz, I'm so happy you're here. How are you?" she asked, looking into her sister's eyes. What she was really asking is how Liz's pregnancy was going. No one else in the family knew about it yet, and Lizzie was still not showing.

Lizzie eyes were bright as she answered. "I'm doing really well, Case."

Casey nodded and moved on to Marti who was bubbling over with excitement. "I'm so glad you're home, Casey," she said into Casey's shoulder. Casey wondered if Marti knew that Casey wouldn't be staying long.

Next came Edwin, who despite being glad that Casey was doing better, was still guarded and gave Casey a limp hug in return, the vision of her in bed with him still in his mind.

Finally there was George, who stood next to Edwin awkwardly, his eyes shuttered. "George," Casey said before stepping forward and hugging him. Next to Casey, Derek struggled to keep a straight face. As far as he was concerned, the less physical contact that Casey and George had, the better.

Hesitantly, George put his arms around Casey and hugged her. He could already feel that she had put on some of the weight she had dropped. When he felt he couldn't bear the feel of her anymore, he moved back. "Casey. Welcome home," he said sweeping his hand out.

Casey stepped back and surveyed her surroundings. You would think that she was home from defending her country or something, not back from almost killing herself. She smiled, though, not wanting her feelings to show. "Thank you everyone. It's good to be back." She could feel the heat of Derek's arm touching hers and it comforted her a little.

"Well," George said, "why don't we all sit down and have some refreshments." He moved into the kitchen. "Marti, come help me here, would ya?"

"Sure thing, pops," she said, getting up and heading into the kitchen.

The silence was deafening, and it made Casey's skin itch. God, how she longed for a cigarette and a beer. _Or twenty_. She hadn't smoked or drank in a month, and although she knew it was better that way, it didn't stop the cravings. "So," she ventured to Lizzie, "how's Glen?"

At the mention of her boyfriend's name, Lizzie's face lit up. "He's great. He's doing really well in his classes and already has a veterinary job lined up after he graduates."

Casey was impressed. It seemed as if her little sister had her shit together. Casey was proud of her. "That's great, Liz. And you?" Casey asked, wondering what Liz's plans were.

At this, Lizzie was more evasive. "Oh, well, I've been looking, you know, for a job, but I haven't found anything I like," she said, her eyes begging Casey to just drop it.

Casey took the hint and did just that, moving on to a conversation with her father about his work and yet another new girlfriend. "I want you to meet her, Case. She's a nice person, and I've told her all about you."

Casey stopped herself from flinching. Did he tell his new girlfriend about his daughter's hospital stay? About the fact that she was allegedly addicted to alcohol? Casey doubted it. "Well, I guess we'll see what happens," she said noncommittally before the conversation was cut short by Marti's reappearance. Casey would have to pull her aside soon and let her know that she would be leaving again.

The conversation was stilted and all Casey wanted to do was lay down in her own bed. However, she knew that wasn't going to happen. The place where she would be spending another 30 days of her life was expecting her to check in at 9 p.m. Casey idly looked at her watch. It was 7 p.m. now. She felt Derek fidgeting next to her on the couch. Turning her head, she looked at him. She knew what he wanted. He wanted to spend some alone time with her before taking her to yet another facility. Casey was both ambivalent yet grateful, if that was possible. Lately, she didn't know how to feel about anything, her feelings were so jumbled up and she honestly wasn't used to dealing with things while sober. She didn't like it.

**Kinda short, I know, but I wanted to get my feet wet with this story again before diving in. I would greatly appreciate a review to let me know that you're still interested in this storyline. Muchas Gracias!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Two**

"Well, I think I'm gonna go up to my room for a bit, seeing as I haven't been there in awhile," Casey said, getting up and stretching her legs. Derek, who had been sitting next to her, also rose.

"OK, honey," Dennis said, his eyes unreadable.

Casey gave him a feeble smile and headed up the stairs, Derek close behind. Opening the door to her bedroom, she noticed that everything looked the same as when she left it a few weeks ago. She didn't know why she was surprised. It's not like George, Edwin or Derek would clean it for her. Sighing, she sat down heavily on her bed and lay back, closing her eyes. She could hear Derek in the room with her, but said nothing. _God, can't I just be alone for awhile?_

As if reading her thoughts, Derek said, "Uh, Case, I'm gonna leave you to it for a bit. There's still time for you to take a short nap if you like before we leave."

Casey opened her eyes and tilted up her head, gazing at Derek. "OK, thanks," she said before again laying her head back. She heard, but didn't see Derek leave.

Downstairs, George and Dennis were in the kitchen, talking quietly. Edwin had headed upstairs to the attic, where he was again staying since Derek moved back home, and Marti and Lizzie were in the living room watching TV. "Casey looks so much better, doesn't she?" Dennis asked George.

George agreed. "Yes, she does. I'm so glad she decided to take our advice and go into rehab."

"Yes, me too. I couldn't stand to see my little girl suffering like she was," Dennis said, his eyes far away in memory.

_Everyone was suffering._ George thought to himself. Instead, he said, "Well, it was a tough time for everyone, no doubt about that."

Dennis shifted his eyes back to George. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry if I seemed insensitive."

George shook his head. "No, it's OK. I think we're all on our way to better days."

Dennis felt like he needed to say more. "George, I don't know if I told you this, but I'm glad that Nora met someone like you. When she and I were married . . . well, I took her for granted. She definitely deserved better than me, and I think she found it with you."

George smiled sadly. "Thank you, Dennis. I tried my best to make her happy. I feel like _I_ was the one who was blessed. When Nora came into my life, it just seemed like everything came together."

Dennis nodded silently. "She always wanted more kids . . . it just wasn't my priority . . . she wasn't my priority; nor were the girls . . ." he trailed off, his face a mask of pain.

George moved forward and put his hand on Dennis's shoulder. "Dennis, the past is over. Nora knew you loved her in your own way, and she didn't regret your time together. And as far as Casey and Lizzie, well, you can use the time you have to be the best dad you can." _Yeah, like you have?_ The thought entered his mind like a virus, making George's stomach churn.

Dennis smiled but said nothing. He knew that what George said was true, and he had every intention of being the best father he could be from now on. He vowed to be there for both his girls, and in fact, had thought of asking Casey to come live with him and Liz in New York once she completes rehab. Dennis wanted both his girls near him.

* * *

Casey was exhausted, but couldn't fall asleep. Her mind was going a mile a minute. _What would the rehab facility be like? What if she had to sit in one of those circles and confess all her sins? Would they make her wear a uniform? Could she really stay clean? _All these thoughts were swirling in her mind and finally she couldn't take it anymore. She looked at her watch. It was 7:45 p.m., and she still hadn't starting packing yet. She also wanted to speak with Marti to let her know she was going.

She headed downstairs and found Marti and Liz on the couch watching a game show. "Hey Marti, can I speak with you for a second?"

Marti turned to look at Casey. "Sure, Case," she said, getting up from the couch and approaching her.

Casey tilted her head to indicate that she wanted Marti to follow her upstairs, and Marti followed wordlessly. They entered Casey's room and Casey closed the door. "Take a seat," she said before grabbing her computer chair and sitting down.

Marti sat on the edge of Casey's bed and looked at her. Casey could tell that she was apprehensive by the look in her eyes. "So, what's up?" Marti asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Casey took a deep breath before beginning. "Marti, I don't know if they've told you what's going on, but I'm not planning on staying here. I'm going away, leaving in a little while, actually." She paused and searched Marti's face for any recognition that she knew what Casey was talking about. Instead, all she got was an expression of confusion.

"What do you mean? Where are you going? You just got here!" Marti said, her voice rising slightly.

Casey bit her lip. "Marti, I have some . . . problems that I need to take care of. So I'm going to a place where they can help me get over them."

Marti looked at her, eyes flat. "So, you're taking off again."

"Yes, but only for a little while. I'll be back in a month. Besides, I wouldn't see you anyway, what with you living with your mom in Toronto." Casey replied, her eyes not quite meeting Marti's face.

Marti shook her head. "I know, but I've been thinking of asking my dad if I can come back. I really miss it here."

Casey felt an ache in her chest. "That's right, I remember George telling me that you'd be coming back once school is out, and it is, isn't it? I've lost track of time . . ." she said, trailing off.

Marti nodded. "Yeah, school ended last week. My mom is trying to talk me out of leaving Toronto, but I've pretty much made up my mind. I miss my friends, my school and my family. I love my mom, but it's not the same. My home is here, with my dad and Derek and Edwin. And you and Lizzie," she added softly, her eyes shining with tears.

Casey hung her head. She swallowed a sob and her eyes met Marti's once again. "Marti, I've done a lot of things, made a lot of bad decisions, after my mom died. This little . . . trip . . . will hopefully help me get back on track. And I would really appreciate it if you would support me in this. I would hate to think that when I go away, you'll be mad at me. Cause where I'm going, I think I can have visitors once a week or something, and if you're moving back, I'm gonna want to see you as much as possible. Do you think you can do that?" Casey paused before continuing, "Support me, I mean?"

Marti said nothing, instead moving her eyes over Casey's face. Finally, she spoke. "Of course I'll support you, Case. I want you to get better and be happy, and if going to wherever you're going is gonna to help you do that, then I'm all for it." She stood and moved forward, throwing her arms around Casey, who was still sitting in her computer chair.

Casey smiled and wrapped her arms around Marti's waist, which was just about eye-level. She felt a huge relief that she had a chance to explain things to Marti and make her understand before she left. "Well, I'm glad we had this talk. Unfortunately, I still have to pack. Do you want to help me?" she asked Marti, who looked pleased to be asked.

"Sure! I'll help you!" Marti answered, her eyes alive.

Casey laughed. "Great. Why don't you run and get Liz too? I need all the help I can get if I'm to make it there on time," she said, going to her closet and rooting around for her suitcase.

"Got it," she heard Marti say before heading downstairs.

Casey found her suitcase and was folding clothes and placing them in when Derek appeared. "Hey," he said, leaning against the door. "Need any help?"

Casey looked up from what she was doing. "Actually, Liz and Marti should be up any sec to help me. But thanks for offering," she said, her gaze returning to her task. She knew Derek wanted to talk, but she also knew that there would be no time. And no privacy.

Derek nodded but said nothing before moving back toward his room. Casey didn't look up, but heard her sisters enter the room. "What's Derek's problem?" Lizzie asked.

Casey's head shot up. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we just passed him and he looked pretty upset. Don't tell me you two are already at each other's throats. I mean, you've barely been home two hours. How much fighting can you do?" Lizzie said, laughing.

Casey tried to look casual. "I have no idea. We weren't arguing. In fact, he offered to help me pack."

Both Lizzie and Marti's brows went up. "You're kidding, right?" Marti said.

Casey snickered. "No, I'm not kidding. Think of it this way, he probably only offered to help me pack because it would get me out of here sooner," she said, a smile on her lips.

This made Liz and Marti laugh, and Casey felt slightly more at ease. "Enough talking about my demon step-brother. Let's get you two to work!" Casey said, trying to sound cheerful.

A half an hour later, Casey was all packed and ready to go. It was decided that the whole family (minus Edwin and Marti) was going to see Casey off, which meant that Dennis had to drive seeing as his car was a lot bigger than Derek's or George's. Marti wanted to go, but George said it would be better for her to stay home with Edwin, because there wasn't enough room for everyone.

Casey said her goodbyes to them, and when she hugged Edwin, she made sure to whisper "I'm sorry" in his ear before pulling back, making his eyes widen a bit. He was good about keeping a straight face, simply nodding his head and smiling softly. After that, Casey moved to Marti and hugged her tightly, picking her up off the floor. "You be good while I'm gone, you hear me?" Casey said softly in Marti's ear, making her groan.

"Casey, I'm not a baby!" she said, but without any real bite.

Casey stepped back and smiled. "I know you're not, but sometimes I wish you were. You're growing up too fast. I don't like it."

Marti's eyes filled with tears and she moved forward and threw herself in Casey's arms again before letting go so Casey could leave. By the time everyone was piled in Dennis's rented SUV, Casey was crying openly. Lizzie sat next to her in the middle seat, her arms around Casey, her hands rubbing her back. "Shhhh, it's OK, Case, it's OK." Lizzie felt stupid because she couldn't think of anything else to say.

Derek sat in the far-back seat, silently watching and trying not to let his own tears fall. It tore him apart to see Casey hurting, and he wished he could take it all away. However, he knew that wasn't possible. Instead, he vowed to himself to always be there for her if she needed it, and he was pretty sure that she would need it for a long time.

Dennis drove in silence, his eyes darting to the rearview mirror every once in a while to check on both his girls. George sat next to him in the passenger seat, his head turned to look out the window. Dennis felt his stomach clench with nerves. He really hoped that this rehab center would be the fix that Casey needed. If not, he didn't know what he would do.

**Review please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Three**

"_You don't have to see anything. All you have to do is lie there."_ Casey shot up in bed, her body covered in a light sweat. Breathing heavily, she put a hand to her forehead, trying to banish the memories that were swirling there. She swore she could still feel the pain between her legs from the assault on her that night.

Taking a deep breath, Casey rose from the bed and went to the window, which overlooked the alley next door. She leaned forward and rested her face against the window, savoring the coolness against her skin. Somewhere out there were the two men who had violated her, probably doing it to someone else right now.

Frowning, Casey turned from the window and headed into the bathroom. She turned on the light and gazed at herself in the mirror. She knew she was looking at herself, but it didn't feel like it. It felt like she was staring at a stranger, someone who she couldn't relate to, and wouldn't even know how to. Casey turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face, wiping it dry with the paper towel provided. Getting back in bed, she lay on her back, eyes on the ceiling, reliving the events of earlier. Her goodbyes with the family were emotional, and in her mind's eye, she could still see Derek's face as he tried to communicate his feelings for her without verbalizing them. They hugged, and he held her tight, but didn't dare speak, considering that their family was standing right there.

Casey's eyes had wandered to George, who was standing next to her father, his eyes shadowed. Their eyes held for a moment before she moved away from Derek and bid goodbye to the others. She wouldn't be able to have any contact with them for seven days, as was the rules when first admitted. At first, it didn't seem like that big a deal, but as she lay there, alone in the middle of the night, she wondered if she could handle it after all.

Shortly after her family left, the director of the facility came to see her. He was a small, weasly looking man with thinning hair and cold eyes. His name was Dr. Felling. Flanking him were two orderlies, both young men. _"Hello, Ms. McDonald," he said, offering a limp hand for her to shake. I hope you are finding your accommodations acceptable."_

_Casey wanted to snort, but she refrained. "It's fine," she said shortly._

"_Good," Felling said before moving forward. "Where are your things?" he asked, looking around the room._

_Casey's brows rose. "Why?"_

"_Well, all new patients must submit to a search of their belongings. You know, in case of contraband and things like that," he said waving his hand offhandedly._

Casey had been annoyed, to say the least, but she understood why they had the rule. She granted them permission to search her bags, and also the room in case she had taken the initiative and already hidden her "stash". Finding nothing, he then proceeded to go down the laundry list of rules and regulations that she would have to follow if she were to stay. Among them: no phone calls or visits for the first week, no fraternization between patients, no having visitors in your room without supervision, no jewelry, make-up or any personal hygiene product that contains alcohol, no shoe strings, belts or any item that can be used to injure yourself or others . . . and the list went on and on. _Was she in prison or a treatment center? _

She listened to all the rules half-heartedly, only wanting them to leave so she could go to sleep. The last thing he went over was the dress code, which basically consisted of a gray sweat suit. The patients could mix and match t-shirts, but they more or less had to all dress alike. Casey didn't know what the point of that was, and how it fit into making her well, but she didn't care enough to fight it. Felling had provided her with two pairs of sweat pants and a hooded sweatshirt to go with it. _"Well, I trust you will end up enjoying your stay with us. I'll leave you now to rest up for tomorrow. Sleep well," he said before turning and taking his goons with him. _

Back in the present, Casey sighed and lay awake for a few more hours before falling back into a light sleep.

* * *

"Good morning, Casey. How are you today?" the counselor, a woman, asked her.

"I'm fine," she replied dully, not up to answering questions so early in the morning. Another rule of the facility was that all patients had to get up at 7 a.m. This was usually followed by breakfast, a time to clean up, then therapy sessions would start at 9 a.m. Because this was Casey's first day, her routine was a bit different.

"I'm Susan Coleman. I'm the resident psychologist here and I will be supervising your recovery." She held out her hand for Casey to shake.

"OK," Casey said, shaking her hand limply. She examined the woman closer. She was blonde, obviously a dye job if her roots were anything to go by, and she was shorter than Casey with a figure that belied motherhood. She had friendly eyes, however, and Casey relaxed a bit. She really wanted to get better, so she figured that she would need to drop her bad attitude. The woman doctor didn't need to know that, however, and Casey kept her expression blank.

"Well, let me tell you what's going to happen while you're here," Susan said, thumbing through some files. "You will be here for 30 days. If, at the end of those 30 days, we feel that recovery has been achieved, you will be discharged. If not, we will recommend an extended stay, but of course, it will ultimately be up to you, seeing as you're an adult. Do you have any questions so far?" she asked, looking at Casey.

"No," Casey said, looking at her hands, which were folded on her lap.

"OK, then. Why don't you head on down to breakfast and I'll see you at nine," Susan said, rising from her chair and collecting papers.

Casey nodded but said nothing. It occurred to her that she had no idea where the cafeteria was. Someone was going to have to show her around. "Um, excuse me?" she asked softly.

Susan stopped and turned. "Yes?"

"Can you tell me where the cafeteria is?"

Susan smiled warmly. "Of course. I assumed that you got the tour last night after checking in. Guess not, huh?"

Casey shook her head no and followed Susan out of the room to the cafeteria.

It was very much like any other cafeteria that you would see anywhere – long dark tables set against the stark brightness of white walls, with one whole wall a set of windows facing the front of the facility. She knew from going in that you could see out but not in.

Susan's voice sounded beside her. "OK, well, have at it. I have some things to attend to before we meet again, so I'll talk to you later."

Casey barely acknowledged her before moving forward to get in line. Her eyes scanned the room and she mentally counted around 45 people in the room, either eating or milling around in small groups. As informed last night by Dr. Felling, the others were all dressed in the sweat suits, same as her. She snorted to herself and grabbed a tray. They offered hot as well as cold breakfast, but Casey couldn't rustle up enough enthusiasm for that and grabbed a banana and some juice. She was already feeling the effects of withdrawal from nicotine and alcohol, and her mood was rapidly deteriorating. _I gotta do 30 days of this?_ She wondered to herself before heading to an unoccupied table and plopping down. Casey slowly ate her banana and drank her juice, wondering what her family was doing.

* * *

Derek awoke to the sound of his cell phone ringing. "Lo?" he mumbled while rubbing his eyes.

"Hi Derek," his best friend Gwen's voice said in his ear.

He smiled. "Gwennie, what are you doing calling me at . . ." he looked at the clock on the bedside table next to him, "Eight in the morning?"

She laughed heartily on the other end. "Well, I figured if I had to get up for work, so should you," she paused before adding softly, "plus, I missed talking to you. How come you never call me anymore?" she asked with a whiny tone to her voice.

Derek rolled his eyes. "It hasn't been that long since we talked. Only a few days, right?"

"Uh, no, dipwad. Try two weeks!" Gwen said haughtily.

He sat up and swung his legs over the bed. "Really? Damn, I guess time has gotten away from me. It's been pretty crazy here."

Derek heard Gwen sigh on the other end. "Yeah, I know. How's Casey?"

He got up and started pacing in front of his bed. "Well, she checked into the rehab center last night, and she'll be there for a month. I can't see or talk to her for a week," he said, his chest tight.

Gwen made a clucking sound. "Damn, that's rough, but I'm sure they have their reasons for that."

"Yeah, I guess," he agreed half-heartedly. "So, what's been happening with you?"

"Well, not much. I'm still working at the hell hole, and Shelly and Amy are still driving me nuts," she said, referring to her roommates. "But other than that, things have been pretty quiet around here since you left."

Derek knew from the tone of his best friend's voice that she was unhappy with the circumstances. Sure, it had been her suggestion that he move back to London from Toronto, but it didn't mean she had to like it. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You should come visit," he said before thinking. Of course, he would love to see her, he just didn't know if now was the right time.

"Really?" she asked. "You want me to come to London?" Her voice had a touch of wonder in it, because as close as they were in college, she had never come home with him. They had done all their hanging out _(and other things)_ in Toronto.

Derek gulped and tried to backtrack a little. "Well, I'd love to see you. I was thinking maybe you could come during holiday break or something," which was a good six months away, considering that school had just let out a few months before.

Gwen's voice was soft as she answered. "Derek, that's like six months away. I'm on break right now. I could come see you whenever you want."

He took a deep breath. "I know, babe, it's just . . . I don't think it's the right time now." He said lowly, hoping she would understand.

She did. "Whatever you think is best, hon. I just miss my best friend, is all. I mean, I have no one to listen to me bitch about my dates!"

Derek chucked at that. "Yeah, I've really missed hearing you bitch about men," he said with a smile, making her laugh in response.

"Well, I need to get to work, but I'll talk to you soon . . . right?" she asked, hoping to guilt him into calling her.

It worked. "Yeah, I'll call you in a few days, OK?" he said while burrowing through the pile of dirty clothes on his floor looking for something clean to wear.

"OK. I'll talk to you then," Gwen said, before adding, "Love you, babe."

Derek sat on his bed. "I love you too, Gwennie. Talk to you soon," he replied before hanging up. He sat there for a moment more, his thoughts on his best friend, before getting up and starting his day.

* * *

_Five days later: _

Casey sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair across from Susan. She was slouched down, her legs spread apart, her right foot tapping impatiently on the floor. "Now, Casey," Susan said, trying to catch Casey's eye, "Why do you think you need to be here?"

_This question again? _Casey thought to herself. They seemed to be going around in circles, her and Susan, and Casey didn't think that a darn thing was getting solved.

"Well, to answer your question _again_," Casey said somewhat snottily, "It wasn't actually me who wanted to come here, it was my family," she said, crossing her arms belligerently.

Susan's expression didn't change, but the tone of her voice did. "Casey, you're an adult, you could've said no to your family. Why did _you_ decide to come here?"

Casey huffed out a breath. Dr. Coleman knew this already. Casey had spent the last five days explaining it to her. _What was she, an idiot?_ "I came because I didn't want to disappoint my family," she paused then added under her breath, "and I figured that maybe there was something to their concern . . . about my behavior."

Susan nodded slightly, acknowledging Casey's statement. "Yes, let's go over again the period right after your mother died. That was when your behavior started to change, correct?"

Casey nodded imperceptibly. "Yes."

"Were there any signs of this behavior before your mother's passing?" Susan asked, scribbling something in Casey's chart.

"No, nothing," Casey said, looking over Susan's shoulder at the watercolor print on the wall.

"So, it would be fair to say that the catalyst for all this was your mother's death," Susan clarified, making Casey wince.

_Well, duh._ "That would be fair, yes," Casey said somewhat robotically. Already she was starting to speak like the doctors here. It was slightly disturbing.

"Casey," Dr. Coleman asked, making Casey's eyes jump to her. "Why do you think your behavior manifested itself in a self-destructive way? Instead of, say, excessive cleaning, or over-working? I mean, those are aspects of your personality too, isn't that correct?"

Casey fought not to lash out. "I don't know," she said exasperated. "This was a whole new thing. I mean, is anyone ever _really_ ready to lose a parent?" Casey asked, fiddling with her hair.

Susan said nothing for a moment, instead studying Casey intensely as if trying to get into her head. _Not even a week, and I'm sick of being shrunk, _Casey thought derisively to herself. "How about the rest of the family?"

Casey straightened in her chair. "What about them?" she asked, her pulse picking up.

"Well, you're not the only one who was grieving. How did they handle it?"

_Well, my little sister moved to New York and got knocked up, my other sister got sent away to live with her mother, and I started fucking my step-dad._ Yeah, Casey thought that would go over _really_ well. "It was hard," was all she said.

Susan nodded sympathetically. "Yes, I can only imagine."

Casey refrained from rolling her eyes. Her knee started bouncing and at that moment she would have given her right arm for a cigarette.

"Well, Casey, our time is up for now. I'll see you this afternoon at 1:30," Susan said, getting up and motioning for Casey to do the same.

Casey rose from the chair and went to the door. "Thank you," she said, without really meaning it. She looked at the clock on the way out and idly noted that she had a "free hour" to do whatever she wanted – within reason, of course. During free time, patients could rest, read, work out in the small gym they had set up, watch TV, listen to music, write letters or socialize in the "game room". Casey hadn't really talked to anyone since she'd been there, instead keeping to herself during lunch and free time. She did notice that some of the other patients had formed attachments and there were a few that seemed joined at the hip. Casey was a bit jealous at this – she wished she had someone to confide in, but she didn't want to make the effort to get to know anyone. She shrugged to herself and headed back to her room. She was planning on laying down with the book that Lizzie gave to her. It was a period romance – something that Casey used to love – back when everything was rosy and her mother was still alive. Now, she was having trouble getting into it, and she found herself snickering at the corny love scenes, knowing that real life was definitely not like that. Love at first sight? No such thing.

A half an hour later, Casey gave up on her book and moved to the window. The day was cloudy and the sky looked like it could open up at any moment. She glanced down into the alley and saw what looked like a few of the custodians from the center on break, judging from the way they were crowded in a circle smoking cigarettes.

Casey felt a pang of envy. God, how she wished she was down there sucking on a cigarette. She could almost taste the nicotine on her tongue. She continued to watch as the guys stood and chatted, occasionally laughing and good-naturedly hitting each other. They were all relatively young – Casey guessed they were college students working for tuition or maybe just guys who had no ambition other than to mop floors for the rest of their lives. She idly wondered if she could convince one of them to bum her a smoke sometime. Probably not, but she could try, right? She mentally made a note to corner one of them and ask (and maybe use some of her feminine charm) whether or not they'd be willing. Smiling to herself, Casey sat back down on the bed and turned on the TV, deciding to waste the time she had before lunch watching bad daytime programming.

**Review please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Four**

Today was the day that Casey would see her family for the first time since she had checked herself into rehab. She was both apprehensive and excited. She hadn't spoken to them since she'd been in there, and she wondered how everyone was doing.

Fresh out of the shower, she quickly dressed (in the same outfit that she'd been wearing the whole week), and ran a comb through her hair. She didn't have a hair dryer, so she was content to let it air dry. As far as she knew, George, Edwin, Derek and Marti would be there in a few hours. Lizzie and her father had to return to New York, but they would be able to call her tomorrow.

Sighing, she took one last look at herself before heading down to breakfast.

She sat alone, as usual, still not willing to open herself up to associations. There had been one group therapy session so far and suffice it to say, it didn't go well. The counselor had tried to draw Casey out of her shell, but she was having none of it. The fact that Casey didn't like this particular shrink didn't help either. She was brash and abrasive – qualities that Casey thought disqualified a person to be a head-shrinker.

Casey was startled out of her thoughts by a voice behind her. "Is someone sitting here?"

She turned and looked up to find the center's newest patient, a young guy who had checked in yesterday. He was tall and quite skinny, and his skin told her that he was a methamphetamine user. Casey shrugged and motioned for him to sit.

"Thanks," he said, setting his tray down beside her.

Casey continued to chew on her rubbery eggs.

"So . . ." he said, taking his napkin and spreading it out on his lap. "What're you in for?"

Casey scowled and continued chewing, hoping that he would just shut up and let her alone.

He didn't seem to take the hint and continued chatting. "I'm here for meth. This is my third attempt at getting clean. I keep telling my parents that it won't work, but here I am again," he said before shoving a forkful of pancake into his mouth.

Casey put down her fork and looked at him. "That's fascinating, really. But I'm trying to eat in peace here, so can you shut it?" she said before facing forward again and taking a sip of her juice.

That hit home and the kid didn't speak again for the remainder of the meal.

* * *

Ten minutes before visiting time, and Casey was chewing her nails from nervousness. How would it go? What would seeing her family be like? It had only been a week, but she felt like it had been a lot longer. Time in the rehab center seemed to crawl, making 24 hours feel like 24 years. (At least that was what Casey thought.) She knew she looked better, and her arm was basically healed from the fracture she suffered in the attack. She was interrupted by the nurse coming in to tell her that her family was in the main room waiting for her. Casey squared her shoulders and followed her down the hall.

When she rounded the corner, she saw George, Edwin, Derek and Marti all sitting on one side of a table. Marti noticed her first. "Casey!" she cried, getting up and running to her.

Casey broke out in a big smile and opened her arms for Marti to jump into. "Hey Marti," she said, hugging her tightly and swinging her around.

"I'm so glad to see you! You look great!" Marti said, moving out of Casey's arms.

"Thanks," Casey said, moving to greet the rest of her family. She hugged Edwin first, mainly because it was the least awkward, followed by George, who barely put his arms around her, to finally Derek, who held her tightly and whispered in her ear how much he missed her.

She smiled at them all and motioned for everyone to sit down. Derek moved around to her side of the table and grabbed the chair next to her. The rest settled opposite her. "So, Casey," George said somewhat uncomfortably, "How are things?"

Casey fought the urge to laugh, his question was so absurd. He made it sound like she had been at camp for the week or something. However, she knew that this whole situation was new to everyone, and no one had a handbook to help them deal with it. She kept it polite. "Things are OK, George," she said solemnly.

"Good, good," he said, nodding.

Edwin spoke next. "We've missed you around the house, Case," he said half-heartedly.

Casey doubted that, but thanked him anyway.

Derek didn't say much, instead spending his time fighting the urge he had to take Casey into his arms and carry her out of there. He kept his hands at his side, however, not wanting to draw attention to himself and expose his feelings for Casey to Marti. Casey went through the motions of a pleasant family meeting, but she was actually a little relieved when the nurse came around and said they had only five minutes left.

Heaving a breath, George rose from the table. "Well, we should get going. We'll be back next week, though, OK?" he said, straightening his jacket.

Casey nodded and hugged everyone goodbye. George shot Derek a look and put his arms around Edwin and Marti, guiding them out the door. When they left the room, Derek turned to Casey. "How are you really?" he said with an intense look in his eyes.

She shrugged noncommittally. "I'm still here, aren't I?" Knowing that she could check herself out at any time, which, she _had_ thought about doing.

Derek's eyes pinned hers. "Yeah, I can see that, but you're still not telling me anything."

"That's because there's nothing to tell," Casey said sarcastically.

Derek sighed and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his arms. "Casey, you forget, I can see right through your 'tough chick' façade. You don't fool me," he said in her hair.

Casey slowly raised her arms and wrapped them around Derek. She said nothing because she didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him anything that would make him feel better, so she kept quiet. Derek moved away and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be back next week. Hopefully sometime soon we can have some visiting time just the two of us. Would you like that?" he asked with a hopeful look on his face.

Casey smiled and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She knew Derek loved her and only wanted the best for her, but she couldn't summon up enough emotion to care at the moment.

Noticing the warning look he was receiving from the supervisor, Derek turned back to Casey. "Well, I guess I should go. Take care, and I'll see you next week. I love you," he said softly before kissing her again. Casey wondered if the people here knew that he was her brother. _Yeah, that would go over well_, she thought as she watched him walk out the door.

Later that night, Casey was in the rec room waiting for the Saturday night movie to start. She didn't even know what movie they were showing and she didn't really care. She would much rather be in her room reading, but rules stated that everyone had to attend movie nights. Yet another attempt to force socialization without _fraternization_.

Casey slunk down in her chair when she noticed chatty boy enter the room. She hoped he wouldn't get any ideas and try to sit next to her.

He stood at the entrance of the room and scanned his eyes over her before sitting on the opposite side of the room. Casey heaved a sigh of relief and settled in for the movie.

The next day, Casey glimpsed one of the janitors she had seen smoking in the alley. He was mopping the floor outside of her door. She approached him slowly, observing him while he was unaware. He looked to be in his 30s, with longish brown hair. He didn't look to be in that bad of shape, but he definitely wasn't an underwear model. She leaned against the door jamb before speaking. "Hi," she said casually, making him whip his head up in surprise.

"Hello," he said formally before continuing to mop.

"What's your name?" Casey asked with a smile.

The guy straightened up and Casey could see that he was wearing one of those jumpsuits with his name embroidered on the front. In this case, it read: Ben.

"I'm Ben," he said, pointing to the patch.

_He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, is he? _"I'm Casey," she said, moving forward to shake his hand.

Ben looked hesitantly at it before grabbing her hand and giving it a shake. She let her fingers graze his before taking her hand back. She gave him a saucy smile. "So . . . do you like working here?" _No, that wasn't lame!_

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her with a weary look on his face. "Look, Cassie, or whatever your name is, we're not supposed to talk to the patients, so if you don't mind, I'm trying to do my job here. I don't want to get in trouble," he said before putting the mop in the bucket and rolling it down the hall away from her.

Casey watched him go and snorted. _That went well._

* * *

_He walked in the door and she was there, waiting to pounce. "Casey, what . . .?" _

_She didn't let him finish before jumping on him and kissing him wildly. They didn't make it downstairs. He ended up taking her against the wall in the laundry room._

George woke up in a cold sweat, his heart beating fast. He was also so hard that it was painful and he groaned and turned over. Sighing, he rose and headed for the shower, hoping to will away his erection with cold water.

Later that day, he was at work when Lori approached him. The same woman that's been after him for months. "So, George, did you have a good weekend?" she said flirtily.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. She really _was_ an attractive woman, it was her personality that turned him off. It was a cross between desperate, needy and flirty, and George felt like he was in her crosshairs. He could practically smell 'I want to get married and have kids before I'm too old' on her. "It was good, Lori, and yours?" he asked politely. Annoying or not, the woman was still his co-worker.

"Oh, it was fine. A little boring, but what can you do?" she said, twirling her hair around her finger.

George nodded mutely, hoping that she would get the hint. She didn't. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go to lunch with me today," she asked shyly.

He took a deep breath. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm neck high in work. I was planning to just work through lunch."

She looked disappointed. "Oh, well, another time then, yeah?"

He smiled benignly. "Sure. Another time."

"OK then," she said before heading back to her office.

* * *

Casey was not in a good mood. She sat in the counselor's office staring Susan down. They were in a stand-off of sorts, with Susan wanting to dig into the night of the attack, and Casey steadfastly refusing to do so. She could hardly remember anything anyway, so what did it matter?

"Casey, you have to get this out. Keeping it inside will only eat you alive," Susan said calmly.

Casey rolled her eyes. "I told you already, I don't remember what happened! One minute I was on the back of a motorcycle and the next I was in the hospital. That's it, end of story," she said, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Don't you want to know what happened that night?" Susan asked, her eyes boring into hers.

"Not really," Casey said nonchalantly.

Susan took a deep breath and looked at her watch. "Unfortunately, our time's up for now. We'll pick this up later," she said rising from her chair.

Casey followed and headed for the door, not bothering to answer. All she wanted to do was have a drink and a cigarette. _A good fuck wouldn't hurt either,_ she thought with a smirk on her face.

* * *

Derek was having trouble. He missed Casey terribly, and it wasn't getting any better. Only getting to see her once a week was not cutting it for him. He hoped that the longer she was in there, the looser the rules for visitations would get. _Maybe it's like prison, you earn privileges for good behavior,_ he thought as he flipped through the channels on the TV.

* * *

_One week later: _

The beginning of week three and Casey was no closer to buttering any the smokers up. They seemed to be immune to her charms. She had tried talking to a number of them, only to be shut down. She had hoped that at least one of them would think with his dick instead of his brain and give in, but no such luck. She was very frustrated, and watching them smoke in the alley everyday made it worse. In group therapy yesterday she had lashed out at another patient who was whining about their life, causing the woman to start crying. Later, Casey felt remorse, but at the time, she couldn't have cared less. She was starting to be convinced that she didn't belong there. So, she might drink a little too much. It's not like some of these people who were heroin addicts and meth fiends, kleptos or pyromaniacs. The center housed all sorts of freaks, and frankly, Casey felt that she was better than them.

_I'm just a girl who lost her mother and started drinking and fucking around. It's no big deal._

Her attention was grabbed by an employee who she had never seen before. Casey had a feeling about this one. He had an air about him that screamed _desperation_. Casey smiled evilly and walked toward him.

An hour later, she was resting on her bed. She had struck up a convo with the guy (whose name is Chuck), and worked her charm on him. Turns out he was a high school dropout who was working there to save enough money to move out of his mother's place. He had just gotten divorced (no kids) and was trying to find himself. The guy had no trouble opening up, really. In fact, she was sure he would have talked for hours if she hadn't begged off. It was hard trying to hold a conversation while keeping an eye out for supervisors, nurses and counselors. Every time she saw one coming, she quickly ducked into her room. Conveniently, he had spent a lot of time mopping the same spot on the floor over and over in order to continue talking to her. She could tell that he was flattered by her attention, and she felt vaguely bad for using him, but she was desperate. She figured a couple more days of this and he would be in her back pocket.

**Review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Five**

The dreams were not going away, but getting steadily worse. He had them every night now, waking up painfully hard, sweaty and extremely frustrated. He was having to jerk himself off every night in order to get back to sleep. He hated it. Tonight it was the memory of her sucking his dick as he drove down the road. He had known it was dangerous, but he hadn't cared. All he cared about was the feel of her hot mouth on him, her tongue swirling around and around, her cheeks hollowing out before sucking him hard, inducing his orgasm. He remembered that the car had swerved out of his lane and the car adjacent to his beeped in protest. He remembered pulling the car into a parking lot and slamming it into Park before pulling her off him and kissing her senseless, the look in her eyes driving him crazy. She knew she had power over him, and she reveled in it. He knew he should be concerned but he wasn't.

Sighing, George rose from the bed and headed to the shower. Afterward, he received a call from the rehab center. "Mr. Venturi?" a female voice said into his ear.

"Yes, that's me," he said drying his hair with a towel.

"This is Susan Coleman from the London Rehabilitation Center. I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time."

George looked at the clock. It read 7:15 a.m. _They must start early there_, he thought idly.

"Uh, no, not at all. I'm just getting ready to head to work."

"Oh well, then, I'll make this quick. It's about Casey's progress, or lack of it, specifically," she stated.

George sat on the bed. "Okay . . ." he trailed off not knowing what to say.

She paused then continued, "Well, since her admission almost three weeks ago, there hasn't been much headway made into why she chose her self-destructive behavior, her attack or her feelings about her mother's death."

George felt a flash of annoyance. "Well, I can tell you her feelings about that. She's grieving, Dr. Coleman."

She sighed in his ear. "Yes, well, I understand that, Mr. Venturi, but I'm concerned that she's scheduled to be released next week and she's not ready."

"I see," he said thoughtfully.

Obviously waiting for him to continue, she said nothing. George snapped himself out of it and said, "Well, what do you suggest?"

"I think she should stay on with us for a longer period of time."

"How long?" he asked immediately, his hand coming up to rub his forehead. He was surprised at how much he was looking forward to having her in the house again, and his disappointment that it might not happen now.

"Well, I can't say. It all depends on her, of course. I do think, however, that with more intensive therapy she can be coerced into opening up."

George didn't like the sound of that. "Coerced?"

Dr. Coleman backtracked and said, "Well, what I mean is, I think upping her amount of therapy sessions per week might help."

"OK," he paused before adding, "You know, before any decision is reached you'll have to talk with Casey's father. I'm only her stepfather," he said cringing at the word. _I wish I wasn't. Then we could be together . . ._

"Of course," she stated in his ear. "Mr. McDonald is the next on my list to call."

"Good," George replied, then added, "And isn't it ultimately Casey's decision on whether or not to stay longer?"

"It is," Dr. Coleman conceded before adding, "However, if there was ever any reason to doubt her decision-making abilities, she could be overridden."

"Overridden?" George repeated dumbly. He didn't like this woman. She creeped him out with her talk of "coercion" and "being overridden."

She went on, obviously oblivious to his discomfort. "If she is a danger to herself or others and continues to make bad decisions, she could be committed against her will."

George felt his heart drop. He hoped it would never have to come to that. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to see Casey and wrap his arms around her. He had no idea what it was like for her in there, but he doubted she was having a good time. _She's probably lonely_, he thought. "What about increasing her visitations?" he asked before thinking.

"Well, as of right now we feel that the once-a-week schedule is sufficient," she said tersely.

This irritated him. "I think it would help if she could see her family more. You know, the people who love her?" he said somewhat sarcastically. At her silence, he quickly added. "Dr. Coleman, I know Casey, and I'm thinking she's probably lonely in there. If her visitation schedule could be increased to two-to-three times a week, even for a half hour each, I think it might help her realize what she has to live for, and it might make her kick herself into gear to get better." He hoped his argument would sway the doctor.

She seemed to mull over his suggestion before replying. "Well, Mr. Venturi, I would need to discuss this with the board . . ."

"The board?" he interjected incredulously. "You're her doctor! You can't make the decision on your own?"

She clucked in disapproval of his outburst. "That's not how things work here, Mr. Venturi."

"See, that's why I hate big operations like yours, Dr. Coleman. There's too much bureaucratic red tape. It takes away from the actual care of the patients."

Dr. Coleman sighed. "Yes, well, I guess that's your opinion, Mr. Venturi," she said, irritating him further with her formalities. "Well, I'm going to ring off now and see what Casey's _father_ has to say," she said with extra emphasis on "father".

"Get back to me on the visitation thing, will you?" he said, trying not to sound desperate. _He __had__ to see her . . ._

"Of course. Have a good day," she said before hanging up on him.

George growled and threw the phone on the bed before heading to his closet to get dressed.

* * *

He was close, she could tell. She tightened her grip on his hips and hollowed out her cheeks, sucking hard. He came with a cry into her mouth and she swallowed it all before moving off of him and standing up.

He leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath. "God, Casey, you are amazing," he said, his eyes full of adoration as he zipped himself up.

She barked out a laugh and turned toward the sink, rinsing out her mouth with cold water. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she quickly turned away at what she saw there. "You're welcome," she said shortly, the look on her face expectant.

A thought occurred to him and an expression of realization came over his face. He reached into the pocket of his overalls and drew out a 20 dollar bill. He handed it over and smiled slightly. "Thanks," he said shyly before leaving her room.

"Don't mention it," Casey whispered to herself before adding the money to her growing stash she had hidden.

When her plan to seduce someone into smuggling cigarettes in for her didn't work, she came up with the idea to charge for her "services". She knew she wouldn't have a hard time "convincing" Chuck. He had already shown considerable interest in her by the time she had cornered him that day while he was mopping her bathroom. It was frighteningly simple, really. She knew that all men basically thought with their dicks. All she had to do was flatter him a bit, pay attention to him, act interested when he talked, and ask questions. He loved the flattery and more and more would find reasons to come down to her part of the building. So when he had finished cleaning her room and was about to leave, she blocked his way and told him what he wanted to hear. _"I can't stop thinking about you, Chuck. I want you, Chuck. I can make you feel good, Chuck. Let me show you . . ."_ Ten minutes later, he was coming into her fist. Then she unfurled the second part of her plan: give him a sob story about how she needed money to support her mentally handicapped sister (a blatant lie), who was residing in a home. Her mother was dead (which wasn't a lie), and her father lived far away (another truth), and it was all left up to Casey to provide for her poor, poor sister. But seeing as she was in rehab, she had no way to make money, ergo, was there anything Casey could do for Chuck that would earn her some money? She batted her eyelashes at him and before she knew it he was pressing 20 dollars into her hands. _"I don't have much,"_ he had said_, "But it's not right, the situation that you're in. I'll be glad to help,"_ he said his eyes shining.

She nodded gratefully and threw herself into his arms, making sure to rub her body against his. She wanted to always leave him wanting more. That would ensure that he would be back. And he was. Everyday when he was working, sometimes more than once a day.

Casey sighed as she counted what she had, which was 200 dollars. She wasn't making the money fast enough. Her ultimate goal was to save enough up so that she could check herself out of there and live on her own. Two hundred wouldn't get her squat. She resolved to ask Chuck if he had any friends that would consider her proposition. Of course, she had to address it delicately. She was afraid that Chuck was becoming a little too attached to her and would resist sharing her with anyone else. She would have to think about her approach. Replacing the money in its hiding place, which was in a waterproof baggie taped to the inside of the toilet tank, she approached her bed and flopped down onto it, dreading her upcoming therapy session. Susan was starting to really piss her off, constantly pushing her to share her feelings. Casey wasn't having none of it. She _especially_ didn't want to talk about her pregnancy, which Casey had almost convinced herself was never real in the first place. _Out of sight, out of mind_, she thought sardonically as she turned over and tried to get comfortable. She just wanted to move on with her life, to do what she wanted _when_ she wanted. She was an adult and she resented having to explain herself constantly to these strangers who really didn't give a fuck about her.

Casey fell asleep thinking about what she would do if she were free.

* * *

Derek hated his job. He was working in the office of a shipping firm, basically as a glorified clerk. He spent his days filing and filling out shipping forms. _I went to college for this?_ he thought as he walked down the hall from his lunch break. He was in a foul mood, no doubt from missing his stepsister so much. He couldn't wait until he could see her again, which was in three days. Sometimes it felt like he would never make it.

* * *

Dennis called George later that day. After exchanging pleasantries, Dennis got right to the point. "Dr. Coleman informed me that Casey's not making any progress in rehab."

"Yes, that's what I heard too," George said, flipping his pen end over end on his desk.

"I think we should convince her to stay longer, and if she doesn't, I think we should have her committed," Dennis stated resolutely.

George took a deep breath. "Dennis, do you really think that will be necessary?"

There was quiet on the line until Casey's father spoke. "I hope not," he paused, and George could tell he was struggling with his emotions. "I just don't know what else to do. I just want her to get better, to be the way she's always been . . ." he trailed off, leaving a heavy silence.

"I do too, Dennis," George said into the phone softly. There was nothing he wanted more than that.

"Dr. Coleman also told me about your suggestion to increase Casey's visitations."

George held his breath for a moment before answering. "Well, yes, I think that it would help Casey . . ."

Dennis interrupted. "No need to explain, George. I agree and I told the doctor as much."

George was flooded with relief. "You did?"

"Yes. And I stressed that the visitations should be increased effective immediately," Dennis said authoritatively.

"What did the good doctor think about that?" George asked curiously.

Dennis laughed. "She didn't seem too pleased about it actually."

George resisted the urge to giggle childishly. "Yeah, I got that impression too."

"She started going on about some board, and I basically told her that if she didn't acquiesce to our demands that we would sue," Dennis said a bit uncomfortably.

"No shit?" George said before thinking.

More laughter and then, "Well, I hate to pull rank like that, but I really do think that it would help Casey with her motivation to want to get out of there. Susan – I mean Dr. Coleman – said that they would increase the visitations immediately."

George's heart jumped. _Did that mean he could see her today?_ "So," he said, trying to sound nonchalant, "Does that mean we could go see her today if we wanted?"

"I don't know why not," Dennis answered amiably. "I know Casey would love to see you all."

"We are all dying to see her," George added before exchanging goodbyes with Dennis. He looked at his watch. It was currently 1:15 p.m, and he had a meeting scheduled for two o'clock. He thought about canceling it and heading directly to the center, but he knew that he couldn't. He had been waiting forever to meet with this potential client and he didn't want to blow it by bailing out on it now. He ran his fingers through his hair and tried to focus his mind on work. It would be hard, but he thought he could make it. He vowed to stop at the center on his way home.

* * *

Casey was sitting in Dr. Coleman's office staring over her head.

"Casey, when are you going to start trusting me?" Susan's frustrated voice sounded in front of her.

No reaction and the doctor was getting impatient. "OK, Casey. I want you to listen to me. I spoke to your family today and let them know about your lack of progress." Still nothing. "I suggested that you stay on longer with us." A flicker in Casey's eyes, but silence reigned. "I want you to stay willingly, but if not, there are other ways we can make you stay."

Casey sat up straighter at that. "What other ways? What are you talking about?" she asked, her eyes hateful.

Susan sighed. "If I feel that you're a danger to yourself or others, or are not capable of making your own decisions, we can intercede and have you committed."

Casey shot out of her chair. "That's fucking outrageous! You can't do that to me! I won't let you! You can't keep me here against my will! I want to talk to my father!"

Casey yelled, causing the doctor to flinch.

"Casey, calm down! This is not helping your case!" Susan shouted back, her hands in front of her as if to ward off blows.

The younger woman clenched her fists by her side and took a deep breath before moving to sit in her chair once again. She stared daggers at the doctor but said nothing.

"Casey, please. Think about this. We haven't made any progress into why you made the choices you did, your feelings about your mom and your baby . . ."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I. Don't. Want. To. Talk. About. It." She enunciated loudly. "All I want to do is move forward, not back. Can't we do that?" she asked, almost whining.

The doctor shook her head sympathetically. "We can't move forward until we go over the past. Otherwise you are destined to make the same mistakes. Do you want that?"

Honestly, Casey couldn't care less, but she didn't tell her that. "No," she said instead, trying to look thoroughly chastened. _I can play her like I'm playing Chuck,_ she thought, trying not to smile.

Susan studied Casey's face intently before looking at her watch. "Alright, Casey, time's up for today. Starting tomorrow, we will be meeting twice a day for an hour each." At Casey's scowl, she added, "It's for the best, Casey. I hope you understand that."

Casey nodded but said nothing. She rose to leave but was stopped by Susan's voice. "By the way, we've also increased the amount of visitations that you can receive per week."

Casey turned and rested her eyes on the doctor, not knowing how to feel about that. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see her family more or not. It would probably only make her feel worse and wish that she was out even more than she already did. On the other hand, seeing more of Marti was always a good thing because it always made Casey feel better. "How many times a week can they visit me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Three times a week," Susan stated. "Of course, if you show progress, we can talk about expanding your liberties . . ." she trailed off enticingly leaving Casey to wonder exactly what she meant by that.

She nodded before yanking open the door and striding out.

**Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Six**

Casey was surprised when a nurse came in her room a little while later and said she had a visitor. _It must be Derek_, she thought as she rose from her bed and followed the nurse, whose name was Angela, down the hall.

She was surprised when she rounded the corner and saw George. Casey stopped and ran her eyes over him. He was standing on the other side of the room with his hands clasped in front of his body, looking very tense. Casey finished her inspection and moved forward. "George," she said keeping her face neutral. She wondered why he was there alone.

Immediately his eyes warmed when he caught sight of her and his body seemed to relax. "Casey," he breathed.

They stood facing one another awkwardly until Casey moved forward to give him a hug. She thought she heard George sniff her hair before releasing her. They sat down across the table from each other. "So, what are you doing here?" Casey asked bluntly.

George took a moment before answering to drink her in with his eyes. His nights had been dominated by thoughts of her . . . and she was all he could think about during the day. He had to admit that her appearance had improved since she checked in weeks ago. She almost looked like herself again, except for her eyes, which were strangely blank. He spoke. "I spoke to your counselor earlier today and she said that your schedule was adjusted to allow for more visits. I thought I would pop by on the way home from work," he said wanting nothing more than to fall on his knees and bury his face in her lap.

"Oh," Casey said her eyes steady on his. Another pause, and then, "so how's everyone doing?"

George smiled. "They're doing well. They all miss you of course – Marti especially. Now that she's moved back, she's itching to have another female in the house again. With Lizzie being in New York and all," he added.

Casey nodded but said nothing. The fact that there were people out in the world living their lives while she was stuck in here – well, she didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to upset George so instead she said, "Tell her I miss her and I will see her soon."

George raised his eyebrow. "You think so?"

Casey frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

Seeing the expression on her face, he quickly backtracked. "Well, I just mean . . ." he ran a hand through his too-long hair. "I got the impression from your counselor that you had a ways to go before being well enough to go home," he hoped he said it in a way that didn't piss her off. Her temper was so unpredictable nowadays.

Bracing himself for a blow-up, he was surprised when Casey laughed instead. "Coleman is an idiot."

George pursed his lips. An attitude like that wouldn't help her. "Casey, she's a professional. I would think that she knows better than you when the best time is for you to leave."

Casey snorted. "That's the problem with these people. They all think they know everything about everyone. They don't know _me_. I know better than anyone if I'm making progress or not," she paused and pinned George's eyes with hers. "I'll be honest – I don't think this place is helping me at all. In fact, I'm thinking I should leave and either go somewhere else or deal with this on my own."

George was already shaking his head. "Casey, that's not a good idea."

"Why not? Don't you think I can take care of myself?" she asked, her voice rising in anger. She was suddenly itching for a fight.

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Casey, I just think . . ."

She didn't let him finish. "We're done here." She turned to go.

"Casey, wait!" George called, quickly rising from his chair and following her.

She turned and found him right behind her with his hands out. "Please," he entreated, "don't go yet."

Casey looked up into his face and what she saw there astounded her. His eyes were frantic, his face needy. She felt her heart thaw just a bit. "What do you want?" she asked in a whisper.

George took a deep breath and reached out his hand, taking hers in a light grip. "I just really miss you and I wanted to spend some more time with you, that's all," he said in a low voice.

Casey looked around and noticed they were the only two in the large room besides the supervising nurse, who looked to be deeply engrossed in a novel. She sighed and led him by the hand to the couches against the far wall. They sat down next to each other, their hands still linked. "I miss you too, George," she admitted softly. And it was true. The time they spent together had been good. It wasn't _all_ about sex. They got on well together and had a lot of laughs. Instinctively, she rubbed her thumb over his skin.

She heard him sigh in contentment and raised her head to look at his face. He was very close to her now, his eyes swirling with emotion. He opened his mouth to speak. "Is there anything I can do to make your stay here easier?" He took a deep breath and continued. "Casey, I want you to get better. There's nothing in the world I want more. Tell me what I can do," he finished his eyes intense.

Casey held his gaze for a moment before answering. "I'm not sure, I mean, I'm going crazy for a cigarette," she laughed self-consciously.

George chuckled with her. "Are you asking me to smuggle cigarettes in to you?"

She continued to examine his face. And she knew. She knew that if she asked him to do it he would. But she wouldn't ask that of him. He had already done so much for her. "Nah," she laughed it off. "I was just kidding."

He nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. "Have you made any friends here?" he asked, changing the subject.

Casey shook her head. "No, not really. There's a few people I kind of talk to . . ."

And for the next hour they sat together – George asking her questions and Casey answering them. They found themselves slipping into their easy camaraderie again and for the first time in a while, Casey felt content.

When the supervisor motioned that time was up, Casey's heart dropped a little. She wasn't quite ready to say goodbye, and judging from the look on George's face, neither was he. They stood awkwardly and said their goodbyes, with George promising to come again soon and to bring Marti. When they hugged, Casey squeezed a little tighter than was necessary, but he wasn't complaining. They pulled apart and Casey watched as he walked out the door before sighing and heading back to her room.

That night at dinner, George felt happier than he had in ages. Just seeing Casey and being able to spend a little time talking with her had lifted his spirits tremendously. His mood didn't escape Marti. "Had a good day huh, Dad?" she asked before stuffing her mouth full of ravioli.

He caught her eye and smiled widely. "Yes, it was a good day," he said, not adding anything more.

Marti nodded but said nothing. She knew that he had been having a hard time lately – she figured he was still struggling with depression from losing Nora – and to see him smiling with a twinkle in his eye made her happy. "Did something good happen at work?" she pushed.

George's smile faltered a bit before slipping back into place. "Uh, yeah, something did, but it's not that big a deal, you would be bored if I told you."

Marti shook her head. "No I wouldn't. Tell me," she demanded, wanting to get her father talking.

Now he was stuck. He scrambled to come up with a lie. "Well, there's a big case that came in and I was assigned to it," he said, not quite meeting his daughter's eyes. He hated lying to her, but she was just so nosy!

"Wow, Dad, that's great!" she said happily before taking another bite.

George smiled absently before changing the subject. "So, how's your summer going so far?"

Marti finished chewing before she answered. "It's going OK. I'm trying to hook up with my old friends, but it's hard, you know?"

George remembered how hard it was to be a teenager and he sympathized. "I know honey, but if anyone can make friends, it's you," he said, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

Marti smiled and they continued their dinner in companionable silence.

A half hour later Derek trudged through the door, exhausted. He had been up since six in the morning, having to work an early shift at his job, which turned into working a double because someone else didn't show up. _Oh well, at least I'll get a bigger paycheck_, he mused as he kicked off his shoes and plopped in his chair. His father's voice startled him.

"Hey Derek," George said as he entered the living room from the kitchen.

Derek craned his head around to look at his father. "Hey Dad, what's shakin'?"

George sat down on the couch next to him. "Nothing much. Did you have dinner yet? There's some leftovers in the fridge."

Upon hearing this, Derek's stomach answered for him by growling loudly. He snickered. "I haven't eaten yet and I'm starving. What did you have?"

"Ravioli."

Derek rubbed his stomach. "Yum," he said before hopping up and heading for the kitchen.

George sat there on the couch listening to Derek rummage around in the fridge and debated whether or not to tell his son about Casey's increased visitation schedule. He shook his head. There was no way that he could keep it secret for long, especially if Marti were to go along. Of course Marti would tell Derek. George was ashamed of himself for even thinking of keeping it from him. His feelings were getting away from him and clouding his judgment. _Which always happens when it concerns Casey, _George thought to himself sullenly.

He snapped out of his thoughts when Derek came back carrying a plate full of ravioli. He sat back down and proceeded to demolish the food. George watched him in silence for awhile before broaching the subject. "Hey Derek, there's something you need to know," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"What?" Derek asked with his mouth full.

"It's about Casey," he added shooting a look at his son.

That brought Derek up short and his fork stopped midway to his mouth. "What is it?" he asked with an anxious look in his eyes.

George kicked himself for starting the conversation like that, making it sound like something horrible had happened and probably scaring Derek half to death. "It's nothing bad, don't worry," he reassured him.

"OK," Derek said, relaxing somewhat. He put his fork down on the plate and gave George his full attention.

"Well, I spoke to her counselor this morning and her visitation schedule has been expanded." He was hesitant to tell Derek about the counselor's assessment that Casey wasn't getting any better. There was no need to worry his son about that now. Derek tended to overreact when it came to Casey anyway.

Derek's eyes widened in response. "Really? How often can we see her?" he asked hopefully.

"Two to three times a week."

Derek set the plate down on the floor beside his chair and sat up a bit. "That's great! She must be doing really well for them to do that."

"Uh, yeah," George said uncomfortably.

Derek had a smug look on his face. "I knew she would get better, I just knew it. Casey's too strong to be kept down for long. When's the next visitation?"

George's stomach was churning as he answered. "Wednesday at 4:00."

Derek's brow furrowed. "Hmmm, I'll be working then, but I'll figure something out."

George nodded and rose from the couch. "Well, let me know if you want to ride together," he said before exiting the room and heading downstairs. He needed to be alone for awhile.

"OK!" Derek called after him before picking up his plate and resuming his dinner.

* * *

"Casey?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm in love with you."

Casey looked down at the man whose face was buried against her bare stomach. She sighed before replying. "Chuck, that's sweet, really, but you're not in love with me."

He looked up at her with wide eyes. "Why do you say that?"

_What a silly, sweet man_, Casey thought before she spoke. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Well, because I just know these things, that's all," she said while running her fingers through his hair. They were sitting on the floor in her bathroom – Casey leaning against the wall and Chuck laying perpendicular to her with his head in her lap.

"Casey, I think I know better than you how _I_ feel," Chuck said in a hurt tone.

She sighed again. She shouldn't be surprised. She knew where this was headed, yet she had done nothing to stop it. All she was concerned about was getting her money so she could get out of there. And now she had to deal with a lovestruck janitor who thought he was in love with her because of a few blowjobs. "Chuck, this isn't love," she said waving her hand between the two of them. "We're just using each other is all." She didn't know how else to say it.

He sat up and looked at her. "How can you say that? It's more than this," he said gesturing to the two of them. "We talk about everything . . ." he trailed off. "You're my best friend, Case," he choked out his face crumbling.

Now she felt horrible. She knew he was sensitive but she hadn't grasped just how fragile this guy is. _I need to backtrack – quick_. "Aw, Chuck, don't cry," she said pulling him to her and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." She rubbed circles into his back and hoped he would snap out of it.

He scrambled to his knees and hugged her to him, his arms wrapping tightly around her. His hot breath tickled her neck. "God, I'm such a wuss when it comes to you, I'm sorry," he said his hands coming up to tangle in her hair. "I just don't want to lose this – lose you."

Casey rolled her eyes behind his back before schooling her features into a patient grin and pulling away from him. Holding his arms in her hands she met his eyes. "Chuck, you're my best friend, too. You're the only person in here that I can really talk to. I just don't want to get too involved cuz you know I'll have to leave here sometime."

Chuck was shaking his head before she even finished speaking. "Well, when that happens then we can be together for real," he said with a smile on his face. "We'll get a place together and you can find a job and everything will be good."

_God, he's so naïve_, Casey thought to herself. "I don't know if that's going to work," she said carefully, searching his face.

"Why not?" he asked confusedly.

Casey thought for a moment. "Well, because . . . I have a lot of issues Chuck, if you haven't already figured it out," she said huffing out a laugh. "It's not fair for you to be saddled with someone like me."

Chuck's eyes softened and he raised his hand to her cheek to stroke the skin there. "Baby, I wouldn't be saddled with you. I love you. I'll take care of you. You'll see. Everything's going to be OK."

Casey shook her head. This wasn't working. She scrambled away from him and rose, grabbing her shirt and pulling it over head. "You should go," she said tersely, not looking at him.

"Why? What's the matter? Are you mad at me?" he asked pleadingly.

Casey's fists clenched. She could not deal with this right now. It was bad enough that her own stepbrother thought he was in love with her. She couldn't handle this too. "No, I'm not mad at you. I'm just tired and want to lie down."

He nodded but said nothing. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said before turning and heading out the door.

Casey expelled a big breath before plopping on her bed and rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes. How the fuck was she supposed to get out of this?

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Again, dear readers, please accept my sincere apologies for not getting this out sooner. **

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Seven**

_Wednesday_

Derek's leg was jiggling up and down as he perched on the stool in the kitchen shoveling cereal into his mouth. His fidgeting was driving Edwin crazy.

"Derek, stop it!" Edwin barked giving Derek a dirty look.

Derek looked up from his bowl. "What crawled up your ass this morning?" he said snarkily.

Edwin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You're just making me nervous is all," he said before turning away to grab something from the pantry.

Derek eyed his little brother's back before shrugging and stuffing another spoonful into his mouth. He needed to hurry up and get ready so he wouldn't be late for work. But more importantly, today was the day he would be seeing Casey and that thought made him smile goofily.

"Smerek," Marti said somewhat formally. "What are you smiling about?" she asked grabbing the juice from the fridge.

"It's a great day, Smarti," he answered, reaching out to tussle her hair.

She smiled in response and sat next to him. "Morning, Ed," she said to her other brother, who was leaning against the counter with his hand stuck in a cereal box.

"Mornin'," Edwin said sulkily before disappearing into the living room.

"What's with him?" Marti asked Derek.

Derek raised his shoulders, unable to talk due to his mouth being crammed full of cereal. He had no idea what Edwin's problem was. Probably woman problems, if Derek had to guess. Derek hadn't seen Ed with a girl lately and he figured that his little brother was probably more than a tad bit frustrated. He snorted at the thought.

Marti took a sip of her juice and surreptitiously stared at her brother. Whatever it was that was making him happy, she was all for it. They had not had enough good things happen to them lately and she desperately wanted things to change. Now if they could only convince Lizzie to come back and for Casey to get out of rehab and everything would be back to normal . . . _almost_.

* * *

Another day in rehab and Casey was about to blow. The group therapy session she was just in was about the biggest waste of time. Having to sit there and listen to all those whiny people drove Casey up the wall. Everyone had problems. Deal with it! She was more convinced than ever that she didn't belong there – she just had to figure out a way to sway her father and George to her way of thinking. Of course, she didn't need their permission to check out, but it would help if she had their support. It was highly doubtful, however, that her father would agree with her. As far as George, she had no idea what he was thinking, but it was obvious that he missed her and wanted her back home. Trouble was, she didn't think it was a good idea for her to go back there. Things would only go back to the way they were and Casey definitely didn't want that.

* * *

Derek sat in the main room in the rehab center waiting for her to appear. He was nervous and he didn't know why. It was only his stepsister! But he knew that she was more than that. She was _everything_.

Casey walked down the hallway wondering who her visitor was. Probably George, she thought, a smile coming over her face. Turning the corner she was surprised to see it wasn't George, but Derek. He hadn't seen her yet and she took a moment to examine him. He still looked the same, and even from this distance she could tell he was nervous. He would never admit it, but there were certain behaviors that Derek exhibited when he was jumpy. Biting his nails, jiggling his leg and continually running his hands through his hair were just a few. At the moment he was gnawing away at his thumbnail and looking outside distractedly. Casey took a deep breath and headed over.

"Hey," she said making Derek jump with surprise.

"Hey," Derek returned trying to be nonchalant but failing. The shine of his eyes told her that.

Derek rose off the couch and moved in for a hug. Casey stood there for a moment before returning it.

"I'm surprised to see you," Casey said without thinking.

Derek's brows rose. "Why's that?"

Casey shrugged. "I figured I wouldn't see you until the weekend."

"Well, dad told me about your expanded visiting hours, so why wouldn't I take advantage of that? Any time I get to spend with you is good, right?"

Casey smiled slightly. "If you think so."

The smile on his face dimmed. "You don't want me here?"

Casey rushed to smooth his ruffled feathers. "No, I didn't mean that, what I meant was, why would you want to spend time with me when you could be doing something fun?"

Derek huffed out a laugh and moved forward to grab Casey's hand. "This _is_ fun," he said softly, making Casey feel worse than she already did.

"OK," she said, tugging on his hand so they could sit on the couch. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Chuck mopping the floor in the corner and looking at her surreptitiously. Great, that's all she needed!

"So how's life on the outside?" she asked, ignoring Chuck.

Derek shrugged. "The same. Work sucks, Marti's still crazy, Edwin's still annoying and dad is . . ." he trailed off, his glance sliding over her shoulder. "Well, you probably already know how he's doing."

Casey could do nothing but nod. She wondered how long things would be like this. She figured probably forever.

They sat and chatted about nothing for awhile until Casey noticed the time. "Time's almost up," she said, wanting to broach a subject with him.

Derek looked disappointed but said nothing, instead studying their hands, which were still linked on the couch. Chuck had hung around for awhile before giving up and heading down the hall.

"Derek," she said, squeezing his hand to make sure he was paying attention, "I'm thinking of checking myself out of here."

Derek's head flew up and his eyes narrowed before he schooled his features into a bland mask. "Do you think that's a good idea?" he asked calmly.

Casey fought to keep her temper. She was tired of everyone treating her like a child. "I've been here a month, Derek. I haven't drank, smoked, or so much as sneezed wrong while I've been in here."

Derek looked at her levelly. "Well, that's good, Case, but that's _in here_. It's easy to follow the rules when you have to. What about on the outside? Are you strong enough to stay out of trouble then?"

"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?" she said flippantly.

This made Derek frown. "Casey, I don't think you should be so blasé about this. An attitude like that is going to guarantee failure . . ."

Casey tore her hand away from his and held it up. "Listen, Derek. I'm an adult. I did what everyone wanted me to and checked myself in this hell hole. I've stuck it out for a month, but now I think it's time for me to do this on my own. Don't you have any faith in me?"

Derek sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Casey, you know that I do, I'm just concerned, that's all," he paused and caught her eye. "I love you," he said deeply.

Casey looked away, unable to take the earnestness in his face. "Derek, I . . ."

She stopped when she felt his hand on her arm. "I know, Case. I know you don't feel the same way about me."

Casey's mouth fell open. "What . . . what do you mean?" she stumbled.

Derek smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Casey. You aren't exactly the queen of hiding your feelings."

She sucked in a deep breath. "Derek, I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. I'm just so mixed up right now, I don't know what I want. All I know is that I want to get out of here and get on with my life."

Derek stared at her for a moment before speaking. "Casey, it's OK. I don't want to force you into anything you're not ready for. I just want to be there for you in any way I can. But you just proved my point: You said you're mixed up and don't know what you want. Are you sure it's a good idea to check yourself out before you even have a plan or know what you want?"

Casey scowled. "Derek, I appreciate your concern – really. But you're not my father, so stop acting like it. I know what is and isn't good for me. Do you honestly think I want to go back to where I was? Now, I've made up my mind: I'm checking myself out of here first thing in the morning. Do I have your support on this?" she asked, pinning him with her glare.

Derek shifted uncomfortably on the couch. He really didn't think this was a good idea, but once Casey made up her mind about something, you might as well forget trying to change it. He didn't want to risk alienating himself from her. She needed all the people who loved her around her now. "Yeah, OK," he said reluctantly.

Casey flashed him a brilliant smile which made his heart hurt. He wished she would smile at him like that more often. "Good," she said before launching herself at him and wrapping her arms around him. All he could do was reciprocate and bury his face in her hair. Everything else would have to work itself out.

Derek was on the way out when he noticed the janitor glaring at him. They locked eyes for a minute and Derek was shocked at the amount of hostility there. _What the hell is his problem?_ he thought to himself before shoving open the doors and heading to his car.

* * *

"Where's Smerek?" Marti asked George as they were sitting together in the kitchen.

"He's visiting Casey," George replied, trying to keep his voice even. He had _so_ wanted to go today, but he let Derek go without him. Knowing his son's feelings for Casey, he figured that they deserved some time by themselves, as much as that thought made George's stomach turn. He knew that he needed to get his feelings under control, but he was having a hell of a time of it. His mind told him to back away, but his heart and body wanted Casey more than ever.

Edwin slammed the door to his car and cursed. _Damn women!_ he thought to himself as he stomped up the sidewalk. His latest girlfriend – someone he had met online – had turned out to be a psycho and was practically stalking him. They had been seeing each other for only a few weeks and she was already talking about marriage and babies. It was enough to make him run for the hills. If the truth be told, he hadn't been the same since the "incident" with Casey. His lip curled in derision. If all women were bitches, she would be the queen bitch, because she had no idea what she did to him that night. No idea at all.

**Review please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**My dear readers - sorry for the delay. Also, I don't know anyone who's been institutionalized or in rehab so I'm not sure of the procedures they have concerning patients who want to check themselves out. I totally made it up, so cut me some slack. Many thanks and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**Chapter Eight**

"Casey, I highly suggest that you rethink your decision," said Dr. Coleman when informed by Casey that she would be checking out that morning.

Casey stood in front of the doctor's desk with her arms crossed. "I appreciate your concern, doctor, really, but I've made up my mind."

The doctor sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Casey, please. Will you please rethink this? I don't think you're ready to be out . . ."

Casey was already shaking her head, prompting the doctor to stop speaking. "Stop," she said, putting up her hand. "All I need from you is your signature saying that we had this conversation and you are aware of my intentions to leave."

Dr. Coleman could see that she was getting nowhere with Casey. "OK, I'll sign it. I just need to get my hands on a copy. In the meantime, why don't you go back to your room? I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Casey stared at her for a moment. Was she trying to stall Casey for some reason? Why couldn't she just sign it now? Casey asked her as much.

"Because I have to consult with Dr. Felling first. It's just procedure," she added quickly at the look on Casey's face.

"Procedure? I thought you told me that I could check out at any time – under my own volition." Casey stated with a suspicious look on her face.

Dr. Coleman busied herself with pushing papers around her desk and didn't meet Casey's stare. "Yes, that's true. But to avail ourselves of any legal liability, we have to go through certain channels," she paused and took a deep breath. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll try to get things moving for you so you can get out of here," she finished, finally meeting Casey's eyes.

Casey smiled, showing her triumph. "I'll be in my room packing," she said before leaving.

Dr. Coleman waited until Casey left before picking up the phone.

* * *

Derek had barely slept the night before. He still didn't think Casey leaving rehab was a good idea, but when Casey put her mind to something, it was impossible to change it. He was mulling over the whole situation when his father appeared from the basement, looking like he just stepped out of the shower. "Morning, Derek."

"Morning," Derek replied, pouring his favorite cereal into a bowl.

"How was your visit with Casey?" George asked, not beating around the bush. He hadn't had a chance to ask his son about it the previous day because he worked late and by the time he got home Derek was already in bed.

Derek took a breath and tried to keep his face blank. He had no idea how his father would react to the news of Casey's leaving rehab. Hopefully, he would be as leery about it as Derek was and not let his feelings get in the way. Derek was unsure of just how George felt about Casey. He didn't think he was in love with her, but he could, of course, be wrong. And he desperately hoped he wasn't.

"Derek?" George asked, still waiting for an answer.

"Oh, yeah, about that. Casey says she's checking out this morning," he said, shooting his father a look.

George spit out his coffee. "What?"

If it weren't so serious, Derek would laugh. "You heard me. She's checking out today."

"Derek! What the hell? Why didn't you try to talk her out of it?"

Now Derek did laugh. "Dad, you know how Casey is. You can't tell her anything. Do you really think she would listen to me?"

George slammed his hand on the counter. "For Christ's sake! Why can't she just do the right thing for once?"

Derek's lip curled. "Yeah, good luck with that," he said before heading up the stairs. There were so many things he wanted to say to his father – things that wouldn't do anything but bring up the bad feelings between them. To a certain point, Derek blamed his father for Casey's behavior and mistakes. If he hadn't been there taking advantage of her, maybe things wouldn't be where they are now.

"What the hell's dad's problem?" Edwin asked on the stairs.

"He's pissed because Casey's checking herself out of rehab today," Derek said over his shoulder.

Edwin froze and turned to look after his brother. "Is that such a good idea?"

"Hell no," his older brother responded before entering his room and slamming the door behind him.

Edwin stood there for a moment pondering that before heading downstairs. _God, just what I need; for Casey to come back here. This is not good. Not good at all._

* * *

Casey was sitting on the bed waiting for the doctor when an orderly appeared. "Ms. McDonald, please come with me."

Casey looked him over. He was young, maybe her age, and looked like he just got off the bus from the boonies. Fresh faced and innocent, his eyes were kind and he had a slight smile on his face. She felt her guard slip for a moment before mentally shaking herself.

"To where?"

"Dr. Coleman sent for you. I believe she has those papers you were waiting on."

Casey jumped up the bed, excited about the prospect of being free. "Lead the way," she said flirtily, letting him go ahead of her so she could check out his ass.

Dr. Coleman was seated behind her desk when Casey arrived. "Casey, sit," she motioned with her hand.

Casey sat and leaned forward slightly, scanning the desk for the papers she would need. "Did you get the papers?" she asked, not wasting any time.

"I did," the doctor replied, turning and grabbing two sheets of paper from the fax machine.

"Great. Where do I sign?" Casey said eagerly. She was already out the door and mentally going through her list of friends and acquaintances she could ask to put her up for awhile.

"There's something I need to tell you first," Dr. Coleman said, her face betraying nothing.

Casey sat back and waited. She knew the doctor would try to convince her one last time to stay.

"I spoke to your father a little while ago and explained the situation . . ."

Casey jumped up and cut her off. "What, why? It's none of his business!" she burst out.

"Please, sit down Casey," Dr. Coleman's voice brooked no argument and Casey sat. "And I beg to differ. He's your father and he's been footing the bill for your treatment. I think he has every right to know."

"Fuck," Casey said under her breath.

Pretending not to hear Casey's curse, Dr. Coleman continued. "Needless to say, your father agrees with me. He does not think you are ready to be released."

Casey snorted. "Well, I could have told you that."

Ignoring her yet again, the doctor said, "He authorized an order to keep you here until we deem you cleared for release," she finished and waited for the inevitable blow up.

It didn't come.

Instead, she watched as Casey sat motionless in the chair across from her for what seemed like forever. Her eyes were staring blankly at the wall behind the doctor and her intense gaze almost made Dr. Coleman turn around to see if there was something actually there. She resisted, however, and continued to wait.

"Casey?" she ventured.

Casey bit her lip and looked down into her lap, her hair falling forward and blocking the doctor's view of her face. The doctor was just going to try again when she heard what sounded like sniffles coming from the girl in front of her. Soon, the sniffles turned into sobs which wracked Casey's body. Casey brought her hands up to cover her face while the doctor rose from her chair and circled the desk, grabbing a tissue from the top of her filing cabinet.

"Casey, it's going to be OK," she said trying to soothe the girl. It was obvious under that tough exterior that Casey McDonald was just a young woman who missed her mother and didn't know how to deal with what her life had become. And as much as Casey irritated her and pushed her buttons, Dr. Coleman wanted nothing more than to see that Casey got the treatment and therapy she needed to go back out into the world and become a productive member of society; to go on and continue her education, maybe get married and have a family of her own someday.

Susan sighed and put her hand on Casey's shoulder, gently rubbing it. "We only want the best for you Casey, please know that."

Casey continued to sob, but shrugged off Susan's touch. The doctor backed off a bit and went back around the desk to her chair. She sat and waited for Casey to calm down.

After a few minutes, Casey's sobs turned back to sniffles and she wiped her eyes and face with the tissue. Finally she raised her eyes back to the doctor. "Can I talk to my dad?" she asked pitifully.

Dr. Coleman smiled. That was something she could arrange. "Of course. He's actually expecting your call," she motioned to the phone. "Here, you can use my extension. I'll excuse myself to give you some privacy," she said before leaving. Turning back, she said, "I'll be right outside," in a warning voice letting Casey know not to attempt any funny business. What did she think, that Casey would jump out the window?

Casey laughed to herself. She had thought of that, actually, but since the doctor's office was on the second floor, and the windows didn't open anyway, that possibility was definitely out. Cursing again she grabbed the phone and called her father. Hopefully she could bring him around to her way of thinking.

* * *

George sighed and ran a hand through his hair for the hundredth time. He had tried to call the center multiple times to speak to Casey but wasn't having any luck. He had also tried Dr. Coleman and was told that her extension was busy and to call back later. He was about to jump out of his skin his nerves were that on edge. Would Casey just show up at the house? How would she get there? She didn't have any money . . . and what if she didn't show up? Where else would she go? He was going crazy with all the scenarios that were running through his head.

"George?" Lori's voice cut through his haze.

He looked up. "Yes?" he said, struggling to not sound annoyed. The woman was driving him nuts, frankly.

"I, um, is everything OK? You seem upset this morning," she said stepping farther into his office.

George took a deep breath and blew it out. _Get ahold of yourself, she's only being polite!_ "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little family drama, you know how it is." He hoped she did and wouldn't ask any more questions. He didn't know how much longer he could remain civil at the moment.

Lori smiled slightly. "Yes, I do. My family drives me crazy," she said, her hand fiddling with the hem of her too-short-for-work skirt. "Well, if there's anything I can do let me know, OK? Maybe lunch?" she added hopefully.

George stifled the urge to groan. _Why doesn't she give up already? Can't she see that I'm not interested?_ Instead, he said, "I appreciate that, Lori, really, but I don't think lunch is a good idea today. I might have to run out. Another time?" he said before he could stop himself. _Damn mom and her insistent teaching of manners!_

Lori's face fell a moment before she quickly recovered. She knew a blow-off when she heard one. "Sure, another time," she said before turning around and leaving.

George groaned and leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk and putting his head on them, wishing for nothing more than to see Casey right that moment. He knew if that could happen he would feel better. So why was he so against her getting out? Because he wasn't sure she would come back – to the house, the family or _him_.

**Review please!**


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